The Social Affects Of Facebook

When did I become dependent on Facebook? I realized this morning that when I turn on my computer, right after I open my regular email, I open up Facebook. I use it for various reasons, mostly for networking, events and apparently communicating with people I should be talking to on the phone. In my case it is a useful tool and resource and on many occasions a source of wacky entertainment. Many people use it to announce engagements, births, birthdays, and events. Quite often I’ve been hearing stories of people finding their lost long love, and recently a Facebook friend told me that she was dumped via Facebook. I think that tops the stories of people breaking up via text messaging.

Somehow, somewhere in the last year, it has not only become an everyday requirement in my life but it is now a worldwide household name, like kleenx or cheezewiz. We even use the name Facebook as a verb. I have even caught myself saying to someone ‘I will Facebook you later.’ This interface has become a part of our culture and in some ways it scare me how socially dependent we have become in terms of how we use Facebook. Have you noticed people making the following statements?

They are insulted if someone doesn’t return their email yet takes the time to update their status. I have heard this complaint time and time again.

or and this is actually quite creepy when you think about it...

‘Hi, I’m {insert name here} your facebook friend.’ I actually have friends on there that I am in contact with on a daily basis that I have never even met in real life.

Oh and then there are the stalkers. Yes, the stalkers. I have a few. I’ve been told that it is a form of flattery, I personally beg to differ. I’ve had to block people who have gone way over the line. One would think that being a female would largely be stalkers online victims, but I’ve heard from many of my male friends that they too are affected by stalking. I’ve had both men and women do this to me. It’s not fun or flattering.

There are many advantages to Facebook though. I have been reunited with many friends and family that I otherwise would never have been able to contact. I’m pleasantly surprised by some of the people who find me. There has been the odd occasion where it has been people I would rather were left forgotten, but for the most part, that end of Facebook has been pretty damn amazing. I thought it would be interesting to survey my Facebook friends to see what their opinions are about the positive and negative aspects of Facebook are. This is some of the feedback I received:

"Positive-reconnecting with old friends, some who become more than friends (insert smile) Networking etc. Negative-spending too much time on here thereby not living in the real world."

"Positive - planning events with groups of people really easily, reconnecting
Negative - if you stop being friends with someone, it's a seriously sticky situation, especially if you have added each other's friends!"

Positive:
(1) Reconnecting with old friends.
(2) Makes it easy to stay connected to people who've moved away and whatnot and you miss quite a bit.
Negative:
(1) People you'd rather never hear from again decide they want to reconnect with you.
(2) Realize that there was a really good reason why you lost touch with your old friends.
Positive:
(3) Really amazingly easy to ignore all the doofuses you never want to hear from again! This includes ex-boyfriends/HS tormentors/camp counselors who have joined AA/found Jeebus/feel guilty and want to make amends as well as all the insane wackos who thought Jim Morrison was still alive and used to play Doors albums to you over the phone until you made up an excuse about Math homework so you could hang up.
Negative:
(3) Being disappointed that no one has actually changed and everyone has actually lived up (down?) to your assumptions of what happened to them or that the brilliant ones turned into underachievers just like you.